Hebridean Transport - closing the gap
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** Accomplishments in Improving the Efficiency of Transport **
Roads
1) The Golden Road
A short walk south from Tarbert/Harris along the main
road (A859), which leads from Tarbert to Rodel, a sign post invites the
visitor to follow a winding track southeast towards the east coast of
Harris. "Drinishader 2 1/2 m, Scadabay 5 m, (Golden Road)" is
what the the sign says. The name is ironical. The half official name was
given by the locals to show their anger over the cost of providing a narrow
road along a rough coast line already 70 years after a Royal Commission
was told that the conditions of transport in the area were desperately
calling for improvement. The story goes that under "normal"
environmental conditions the road could have been paved with gold for
the amount of money paid for the whole project.
Riding a local bus one wonders how the bus drivers manage to keep the
vehicle on the track and particularly how they shoot through cattle grids
where there are only a few inches space between either side of the bus
and the gate posts.
Probably, this scenic road along the beautiful east coast of the island
has saved a handful of villages from emigration which would have been
the inevitable consequence of the remoteness without it. So in the long
run the cost of blusting a single track road through the hills and cliffs
did pay.
2) Rhenigidale - a village "behind the hill"
Until 1997 the only way to reach Rhenigidale was by fishing boat or via the scenic foot path across the hill from Tarbert. For generations all supplies have been carried either way, a strenuous task if we think of coal, food, mail and especially cases of human emergency. Now a 7 mile long dead end road leads straight into the village. This helped to prevent the final depopulation in virtually the last minute. The neighbouring village of Molingeanais had been abandoned a few decades ago. Its remains are still to be found if one followes a hardly visible path off the nature trail leading from Tarbert to Rhenigidale.
Bridges
1) Skye Bridge - Gateway to the Outer Hebrides
A much debated project which has cost 39 million (ca 110 Millionen DM) - 24 million of which are being paid for by tax payers and regular toll payers until the total revenue collected reaches ca 24m - has been finished in 1995. It has thus substituted the two ferries that were running every few minutes from Kyle of Lochalsh to Kyleakin (Isle of Skye). The ferries were free for passengers and cyclists and, as far as I know, island locals were not charged either.
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Skye ferry, connecting Kyleakin and
Kyle of Lochalsh; Drive through ferry service onto Skye has been in place since the late 60s. In 1991 a pair of larger ships (Loch Fyne and Loch Dunvegan) arrived from Port Glasgow and took over the Kyleakin/Skye - Kyle of Lochalsh 10 minutes "back and forth service" |
Now the ferries are gone. The crossing of the bridge is a must and so is the payment of the bridge toll. Complaints about the tolls have become a topic in higher administrative circles up to the Houses of Parliament, letters have been sent to the Prime Minister. The debate is still going on. Some of the islanders are still furious.
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Skye bridge, connecting Kyleakin and Kyle of Lochalsh |
and this is what the islanders are so furious about:
These are the ONE WAY prices from 1st January 1999
(already lower in comparison to the originally proposed amounts which
had to be paid so far)
| Up until 30th April 1999 | 1st May to 30th Sept 1999 | |
| Car or Transit Vans <5.5m | £4.70 | £5.70 |
| Car & Caravan (or trailer >2.5m) | £9.40 | £11.40 |
| Motorcycle | £2.40 | £2.90 |
| Lights Goods Vehicle <7.5T | £10.80 | £10.80 |
| HGV 1 (2 or 3 axles) | £14.00 | £14.00 |
| HGV 2 (4 axles or more) | £27.90 | £27.90 |
| Local Bus | £16.40 | £16.40 |
| Midi Coach (up to 22 passengers) | £15.80 | £23.70 |
| Coach (over 22 passengers) | £27.90 | £41.20 |
for further details visit the Skye Bridge main page
2) Scalpay Bridge
The bridge which is connecting the islands of Harris and
Scalpay since 12/1997, and which came into use almost nine months prior
to its official opening, has improved economic development and social
access. A 65% grant from the European Union through Objective One funding
helped considerably to proceed with the 300m long construction which carries
vehicles and pedestrians as well as the water supply for the island.
Scalpay's oldest resident, Mrs Kirsty Morrison, at the age of 103 years,
led the way for the first crossing of the new bridge. For the opening
of the bridge the Western Isles welcomed Prime Minister Tony Blair M.P.,
his wife Cherie and Mr Donald Dewar, at that time Secretary of State for
Scotland.
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| Scalpay Bridge |
Causeways
1) Berneray Causeway and Sound of Harris Ferry
Although being officially opened by lesser officials than the Prime Minister, the Causeway connecting Berneray/Harris(ca 150 inhabitants) to North Uist was no less an event for the islanders themselves than was the opening of Scalpay bridge. Although viewed first with a doubtful eye by some of them I have hardly ever seen so many of the islanders attend an island happening and I have never seen the people moved so much by an event.
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Endeavour of
Berneray - passenger ferry between Harris - Berneray - North Uist |
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Eilean Bhearnaraigh - car ferry between North Uist and Berneray before the causway was finished |  |
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MV Loch Bhrusda car ferry between Harris - Berneray - North Uist replacing the Endeavour of Berneray |
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An island inhabited for centuries and the islanders being
used to travelling by passenger ferry, a six
car vehicle ferry, and an even bigger
car ferry since 1996 are now part of the neighbouring
island of North Uist. The impact of the causeway for an increase of population
hopefully remains to be only a matter of time. Simple tasks for mainlanders
like shopping trips, carrying construction material and secondary school
access for children have been subject to weather conditions, tidal conditions
and ferry time tables. Cultural events, although not rare on Berneray
itself, are now much easier to reach. There will never again be a "last
ferry" to catch.
Centuries old dreams have come true as the islands of Scalpay and Berneray
were finally linked to their neighbouring islands and Skye to the mainland.
2) Eriskay Causeway
The island of Eriskay has also been connected to the neighbouring
South Uist by a causeway. The 1.6 km causeway is part of the £9.4m
Eriskay and Sound of Barra transport project.
Formerly, Eriskay was accessible via ferry service from Barra and South
Uist. A passenger boat (Eoligarry/Barra-Eriskay-Ludag/South Uist) and
a small car ferry (similar to the Eilean
Bhearnaraigh, Eriskay-Ludag) which can
take six cars or one lorry across the shallow water were the three possible
ways to get there .
